Rihanna's Man Down draws ire of Parents Television Council

Sara McGinnis is a slightly mossy Northwest gal living in an otherwise all-male household. She contributes to both the BabyCenter Blog and SheKnows Entertainment, and is a fan of Twitter and Facebook friends.
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Watch Rihanna's Man Down video

Rihanna may get away with murder in her latest video Man Down, but the songstress is now in hot water with the Parents Television Council.

Rihanna's Man Down music video is causing a stir amongst those fed up with violence on television. The Parents Television Council (PTC) and other groups describe the video as "an inexcusable, shock-only, shoot-and-kill theme song."

The Man Down video portrays Rihanna as the victim of sexual assault who gets revenge on her attacker by shooting him in the head. Paul Porter of Industry Ears and the former voice of BET said, "In my 30 years of viewing BET, I have never witnessed such a cold, calculated execution of murder in primetime. If Chris Brown shot a woman in his new video and BET premiered it, the world would stop."

Speaking on behalf of the PTC, Melissa Henson says, "Rihanna's personal story and status as a celebrity superstar provided a golden opportunity for the singer to send an important message to female victims of rape and domestic violence. Instead of telling victims they should seek help, Rihanna released a music video that gives retaliation in the form of premeditated murder the imprimatur of acceptability. The message of the disturbing video could not be more off base."

A sampling of Rihanna's Man Down lyrics include:

I didn't mean to end his lifeI know it wasn't rightI can't even sleep at nightCan't get it off my mindI need to get out of sightBefore I end up behind bars

What started out as a simple altercationTurned into a real sticky situationMe just thinking on the time that I'm facingMakes me wanna cry

Cause I didn't mean to hurt himCoulda been somebody's sonAnd I took his heart whenI pulled out that gun

Oh mama mama mamaI just shot a man downIn central station

Is the Parents Television Council right to be up in arms over Rihanna's Man Down video?